A Randall Hero

He slid back down the gully to his truck and got in the front seat. “There, I got your car pushed to the side. Now let’s see if we can rouse some help.” He knew his insurance would pay for his truck, so he could be cheerful now that he’d calmed down.

Until he opened his phone.

He cursed several times and snapped his phone shut.

“What’s wrong?” she asked cautiously.

“I forgot to recharge my cell.”

“Do you have a charger with you?”

“No.”

“Wh-what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know. At least I got your car out of the way so no one else will have to wreck their car.”

“Are you saying I caused your wreck?”

“You didn’t even have any lights on!”

“I had them on, but my battery died!”

“Look, it’s all right. My insurance will pay for it, but I can’t drive it. So we’ll just sit tight until someone comes along.”

“I’ve been here for a couple of hours and you were the first one to come along. Do…do you think someone else will—”

She grimaced and grabbed her stomach.

“Is something wrong?”

She lay back against the seat, breathing deeply. “No, I just need to…stay calm.”

“Just how far along are you?”

“About eight months.”

That brought John up short. He sure didn’t want to talk her into early labor. He agreed—calm was just what they needed.

“Look, we’ll probably see someone fairly soon. Until then, tell me what you’re doing on this road.”

“I’m just driving.”

“Toward what destination? There’s not much on this road except Rawhide.”

She jerked away from him.

“What did I say?”

“Nothing!”

“Okay, well, I’m from Rawhide, a small town that most of my family lives in. I’m John Randall. I run my family ranch about fifteen miles outside of town. But I have cousins all over town and on three other ranches in the area. We joke all the time because you can’t go anywhere without running into one of us.”

“Is it a nice town?”

“Absolutely. Both doctors, the sheriff, the only lawyer, the two accountants, all are kin to us. My sister is a jewelry designer. The drama teacher is kin to us, too. She used to be a movie star.”

“M-my brother is a deputy.”

John frowned. “In Rawhide?”

“Yes.”

“Who is he? I bet I know him.”

“I don’t think I should say.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not…not staying in town. I just needed to ask him s-something.”

“You couldn’t just call him?”

“I tried several times but—but he didn’t answer his phone.”

“Maybe he’s on vacation. No, that couldn’t be it. The only one on vacation is Harry and—-”

She jerked again.

He stared at her. “Your brother is Harry? Harry Gowan?”

“Please, I didn’t say that.”

“Harry is my brother-in-law.”

“Oh!”

“Stay calm. It’s all right. Harry would want me to help you. What’s wrong?”

Saying nothing, she shook her head and folded her arms over her protruding stomach, as if she were cold.

He took her by her shoulders. “Look, Harry is on—”

He broke off because she was wincing in pain. “Are you in labor?”

She shook her head.

“Then what’s wrong?”